While the statistic is a bit dated, I did not realize that the US consumed 20 million barrel of oil. A DAY! These barrels aren't even that small! China follows behind at 8 million a day, yet their population is significantly higher, yet we spend more than twice the amount! Obviously I know we depend on oil, and it has been called liquid gold, but jeez... Oil extraction in northeast Ecuador starting in 1972, and the time of writing, the author stated that northeast Ecuador has extracted 2 billion barrels since 1972, which wouldn't even have supplied the US for half a year...This extraction, processing, and transportation has mass, negative implications on the environment. One of the biggest negatives are leaks in the pipelines. The author states that approximately 16.8 million gallons of oil have leaked from these pipelines alone! This oil then trickles down (unlike money in an economy, ha!) and contaminates water supplies, that are used for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. Not only is there increased cancer rates near the contamination sites, but there are also increased morbidity, spontaneous abortion, and malnutrition in humans near the sites. Due to the contamination sites, several lawsuits took place, with the companies found guilty and required to remediate the sites, however they did not fully clean up the areas, and many oils pits were still left open. Sadly, due to the lack of advocates, the cleanup has slowed down.
Ecuadorian Court Fines Chevron
I did not like that the punitive damages would be waived if Chevron issued a public apology, like seriously? All they have to due is say some half-assed apology and then they don't have to pay $8.6 billion? I love how Chevron even goes to say that aren't going to pay stating it was illegitimate and unenforceable... Its pretty disgusting that they even influenced the US government to affect Ecuadorian-US policies in order top undermine Ecuador. I love (read that as hate) that Chevron went to US courts to seek immunity from collections happening in other parts of the world - they damage Ecuador's environment, but this piece of paper from New York, US says we can't be fined... How does that even make sense?...
Chevron Oil Pollution
Sad to see that one of the 17 mega-countries with huge biodiversity is being destroyed due to human greed. However, there is some irony in me pointing that out, since, truthfully speaking, we benefit greatly from the destruction of these countries - we drive our cars, and use plastic materials. I don't like now knowing the fact that oil companies re-inject toxic poisonous water back into the sites where the oil was initially found, is that for structural purposes or because Congress had to give something to the companies? It's just so disgusting that companies follow rules and policies in the US because they know they will go through hell if they don't, but once you start extracting oil in other parts of world, like Ecuador, all those rules get thrown out the window. So, not only did Chevron no re-inject the toxic water into the ground, but decided to dump it into local water ways. But they didn't stop there, they didn't line the oil pits with the lining, so toxins from the extraction seeped into the groundwater. AND, to add more damage, instead of capturing the natural gasses, they burned it - they contaminated surface waters, groundwater, and the air. Chevron even went as far as to tell the locals that the contaminated water contained nutrients and minerals... Like, come on... They also went as far as to HIDE the damages they committed, rather than actually address and fix them. Its insane how Chevron tried to get Ecuadorian courts to rule for the cases, but then once those courts found them guilty, they started freaking out, and even publicly stated that they wouldn't pay the fines.
Texaco vs. Indigenous People
The oil pits are as disgusting as Texaco's bottom-line and the fact that they believed they could get away with leaving these pits behind. As they said in the video, Texaco would not have been allowed to leave the pits as they did in Ecuador if the extraction took place in the US. The fact that they believed they could treat these people as sub-people is awful, and its even more disgusting that when the court ruled in favor of the people, Texaco went out publicly saying they weren't going to pay because they believed the ruling to be illegitimate and unenforceable.